ADA-compliant workstation for pneumatic tube delivery system

Abstract

A workstation includes a housing and a pneumatic tube port sized and shaped to connect to tubing of a pneumatic tube delivery system. The workstation includes a carrier dispatch and arrival mechanism coupling to the pneumatic tube port and having an outlet and a slide plate movable from a position opening the outlet to a position closing the outlet. The carrier dispatch and arrival mechanism further including a dispatch arm for loading an outbound carrier for transportation from the workstation through the pneumatic tube delivery system to a further workstation. The workstation further comprises an equipment storage compartment adjacent to the carrier dispatch and arrival mechanism and a bin at the bottom of the housing sized and shaped to receive and store the inbound carriers in combination with a user interface cabinet housing a user interface apparatus and a space for supporting stored carriers.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A workstation, comprising:
 a housing having a top, a rear, a bottom and two sides bounding an interior of the workstation; 
 a pneumatic tube port extending into the housing sized and shaped to connect to tubing of a pneumatic tube delivery system exterior to the workstation; 
 a carrier dispatch and arrival mechanism including:
 an input/output (I/O) tube sized and shaped to couple to the pneumatic tube port and having an outlet; 
 a slide plate movable from a first position allowing access between the opening and the I/O tube to a second position closing the opening; 
 a dispatch arm for loading an outbound carrier for transportation from the workstation through the pneumatic tube delivery system to a further workstation; and 
 a slide mechanism configured to slide the dispatch arm from a forward position, where the outbound carrier is loaded, to a rear position, where the dispatch arm is coupled to the I/O tube and the slide plate is in the first position for introducing the outbound carrier through the opening into the tubing of the pneumatic tube delivery system, wherein, when the dispatch arm is in the forward position and the slide plate is in the first position, inbound carriers move through the opening into the interior of the workstation; 
 
 an equipment storage compartment adjacent to the carrier dispatch and arrival mechanism; 
 a bin at the bottom of the housing sized and shaped to receive and store the inbound carriers; and 
 a user interface cabinet housing a user interface apparatus, the user interface cabinet being located above the bin and below the equipment storage compartment, wherein a space between a bottom surface of the equipment storage compartment and an upper surface of the user interface cabinet defines a space for supporting stored carriers. 
 
     
     
       2. The workstation of  claim 1 , wherein the bin is seamless for fluid retention. 
     
     
       3. The workstation of  claim 2 , wherein the bin has a ramp for supporting the inbound carriers and orienting the inbound carriers in an area for delivered carriers. 
     
     
       4. The workstation of  claim 3 , wherein the ramp is curved to direct the inbound carriers toward the front of the workstation. 
     
     
       5. The workstation of  claim 4 , wherein the bin includes fluid retention areas for collecting fluids introduced into the workstation. 
     
     
       6. The workstation of  claim 5 , wherein the ramp and bin are molded as a single piece. 
     
     
       7. The workstation of  claim 1 , wherein the dispatch arm, the bin, the user interface cabinet and the space for supporting stored carriers are ADA-compliant for forward reach. 
     
     
       8. The workstation of  claim 1 , further comprising feet for supporting the workstation. 
     
     
       9. The workstation of  claim 1 , further comprising legs for mounting the workstation. 
     
     
       10. The workstation of  claim 1 , wherein the carrier dispatch and arrival mechanism is movable into and out of the housing on slider rails. 
     
     
       11. The workstation of  claim 8 , wherein, when the carrier dispatch and arrival mechanism is inserted into the housing, the I/O tube and the pneumatic tube port are sealed together with a fastener. 
     
     
       12. The workstation of  claim 9 , wherein, when the carrier dispatch and arrival mechanism is inserted into the housing, the carrier dispatch and arrival mechanism is secured to the housing with at least one fastener.